The recipients of the Baba Farid Award show the citation received on the concluding day of the Baba Farid Aagman Purb in Faridkot on Sunday. A Tribune photograph

Leaf folder bug attacks paddy in Fazilka
Fazilka, September 23
Leaf folder bug has attacked the standing paddy crop, due to the humid and hot weather, in Fazilka district.
The paddy is likely to arrive in the market after October 20. Besides, the attack of sheath rot and false smut, caused by fungus, has also been noticed on the standing parimal variety of paddy in the Fazilka area.

Govt properties defaced with posters of candidates
Abohar, September 23
About 25 per cent of the 67 candidates from graduates constituency in Panjab University senate elections not only fixed flex boards but also violated the ban on defacing of walls as their supporters pasted multi coloured posters even on Nehru Park and other government property today.

1965 war hero remembered
Abohar, September 23
Floral tributes were paid to Major Surinder Prasad of the 19 Maratha Light Infantry who attained martyrdom while leading the Delta Company to recapture a strategic post in the Khemkaran sector during the Indo-Pak war on this day in 1965.

Faridkot, September 23
The 27th Agman Purab of the great Sufi Saint, Baba Sheikh Farid Shakarganj, concluded in Faridkot today with lakhs of devotees paying obeisance to the man whose over hundred shabads (hymns) are incorporated in the Guru Granth Sahib.

On the final day of the fair, four Punjabis from different fields were conferred the prestigious award for honesty and service to humanity at a religious congregation held at Gurdwara Godari Sahib. The award comprises a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh, a citation and a shawl. The Bhagat Puran Singh Award for Service to Humanity was given to Rajesh Mohan, a noted musician who despite being blind, has made a big contribution to music. Rajesh Mohan is the head of the National Federation of the Blind. "My own experience in life taught me that there is nothing that is not surmountable. It is only the attitude that matters," he said.

Jagdev Singh Jassowal, chairman, Lok Cultural Manch and Prof Mohan Singh Memorial Foundation, also received the Bhagat Puran Singh Award. Dr SS Gill, vice-chancellor, Baba Farid University of Health Science (BFUHS) and Amar Singh Sukhija, 89, who never claimed any government benefit on the ground that he was a freedom fighter, jointly bagged the Baba Farid Award for Honesty. The awards are given every year to Punjabis who rise above parochialism and do something positive for society, said Inderjit Singh Khalsa, chairman of the Baba Farid Society, Faridkot.

Fazilka, September 23
Leaf folder bug has attacked the standing paddy crop, due to the humid and hot weather, in Fazilka district.
The paddy is likely to arrive in the market after October 20. Besides, the attack of sheath rot and false smut, caused by fungus, has also been noticed on the standing parimal variety of paddy in the Fazilka area.

The leaf folder attack has been witnessed mostly on the fine basmati variety and the PR 114 parimal variety of paddy which is cultivated in about 29,000 hectares of land in Fazilka block alone.

"The main reason for the attack is the humid climate," said Agriculture Development Officer (ADO), Fazilka, GS Cheema. He said there was an extensive attack of leaf folder on the fine variety of basmati but now it has slowed down to some extent.

Agricultural expert Kavinder Dahuja says the hot and humid climate is considered favourable for the leaf folder bug. These bugs enter the leaves and eat them, cutting off the supply of essential nutrients.

"Out of 16 acres of our land where the basmati variety of paddy has been sown, most of the area has been under the leaf folder attack," said Bagh Chand, a farmer in village Alamshah.

The Punjab Agriculture University (PAU) recommends the use of pesticides like quinalphos and trizophos. However, these pesticides have failed to show the desired results.

"The farmers had to spray costly pesticides increasing the cost of inputs to over Rs 1,000 per acre," said Ashok Kumar and Bhajan Lal, both farmers from village Shajrana.

"Due to the favourable climatic conditions, the problem gets multiplied. Hence, it needs to be checked to avoid further loss," said ADO Cheema.

It has been found that despite the regular spray of pesticides in the paddy fields, the pest has been attacking again and again. Hence, the farmers should monitor their fields regularly and use pesticides as per the recommendation of the PAU, added Cheema.

Abohar, September 23
About 25 per cent of the 67 candidates from graduates constituency in Panjab University senate elections not only fixed flex boards but also violated the ban on defacing of walls as their supporters pasted multi coloured posters even on Nehru Park and other government property today.

The staff of the local bodies failed to clarify whether advertisement tax had been paid before fixing the banners. However, most of the publicity material was removed in the afternoon from the walls around the polling centres.

In Fazilka district, Abohar has got highest number of voters at 9200. The district headquarters has 4500 voters while Jalalabad has about 3500 graduates listed in the electoral rolls. Most of the candidates had to concentrate on this town due to highest number of voters.

The DAV Managing Committee, that had fielded DAV College principal Dr Sanjeev Kumar Arora, made last minute efforts to muster support by arranging the visit of its advisor and former principal HR Gandhar yesterday.

Teachers of government schools were found canvassing for District Education Officer Sandeep Dhuria, another powerful candidate.

Abohar, September 23
Floral tributes were paid to Major Surinder Prasad of the 19 Maratha Light Infantry who attained martyrdom while leading the Delta Company to recapture a strategic post in the Khemkaran sector during the Indo-Pak war on this day in 1965.